Best of Friends: Destiny Stewart and Leslie Ryan
by Wolfwhisperer
Summary: Better known as Jake and Miley, these two neighbors grew up together in Tenessee. But as Leslie's acting carreer gets farther along, how will they stay friends? Implied Jiley, or Lestiny. Not exactly romance.
1. Intro

_**Alright, here's my new story. Miley and Jake, Destiny Hope and Leslie, live on farms just outside of Nashville, Tennessee. They grew up as the best of friends, but when Middle School gets thrown at them, and rumors of them being more, will things start to change?**_

_**Disclaimer: Ok, like, not to brag, but I totally have the hook up on this show about a teen girl that lives a double-life as a world famous popstar, and- WHAT?! Someone already has this idea?! Not for long…**_

6-year-old Destiny Hope Stewart sprinted across the pasture to a neighboring farm, where a blue truck was pulling into an unpaved drive-way. As she saw him getting out of the backseat, her speed increased, desperate to greet her best friend.

They had been neighbors their whole lives, and it had killed her to be away from him nearly the whole summer. He had managed to get a minor role in a movie that spring, and after their school year had ended, his family had taken a trip to California so he could be in it.

It had been the most boring summer of her short life; with only her brother and brat-cousin to play with. And since her brother had other friends, that left her to be pushed down a well by her evil identical cousin, Luann.

Destiny had always been a fast runner, but her friend was faster. And when he heard her feet kicking up dirt and sand faster than stampeding cows, he had taken off like lightening to greet her.

"Leslie!" She shouted happily as he reached, and tackled, her to the ground.

"Dessie!" He mimicked, using his nickname for her since Destiny was pretty long. When he was two, and started talking, that's all he could say of her name.

He stood up and extended his hand, to which she accepted, before yanking him into a hug. Not caring that they were both covered in dirt, he squeezed her so hard that she started coughing.

"Sorry." He said, pulling away. She smiled, and he noticed a tooth missing. His jaw dropped. "You lost your first tooth?!" Her head went up and down really fast for a brief moment. "Cool, how much'd ya get?"

"$5!" She exclaimed jubilantly. He looked impressed. "How was… Calforna?" She asked, saying the name slowly to try and get it right.

"It was fun. There were beaches, and dolphins, and lots of nice people. But it wasn't as much fun as playing with you." He answered, sadness in his last words. She smiled at this, knowing he had missed her too.

After helping the Ryans unload their car, she and Leslie, who of course won, raced back to her house. When they arrived, he was surprised to see her entire family there, celebrating his return.

He looked around, surprised to see them all there shouting, 'Welcome back, Leslie!" He turned to Destiny, who had a guilty/happy look.

"You did this?" She nodded, and he pulled her back into a tight embrace. He went around saying hi to everyone, which consisted of both his family and hers. The Stewarts and the Ryans had been family friends for a long time.

Later that afternoon, Destiny and Leslie were walking around the field together, savoring their last few days of summer break. Jackson had used one of his rare nice moments to tell Miley what school really gets like, and they weren't as excited to go to first grade as they had been about kindergarten.

Teachers started giving out school work to do at home, which really dampened their spirits. That would mean less play-time for them.

The two friends returned to the house. "Hey, mommy?! Is there any cake left?!" She called upstairs to her mother.

"Yeah, we saved two extra pieces for you and Leslie! They're on the counter!" Susan answered. They eagerly dug in.

"Ok, now if anyone gives either of you any trouble, just come find me." Jackson instructed as he, Destiny, and Leslie walked through the hallways of Farmer Elementary School.

"Relax, Jackson. We'll be fine." She assured her older brother. He took off in the direction of the third grade hallway, leaving the two first graders to go to Ms. Shepard's classroom.

When they walked in, Destiny was relieved to not see her cousin anywhere. They sat across from eachother at a table and silently observed the other kids. Soon, however, the bell rang and everyone found seats. The teacher, a kindly looking, younger woman with blonde hair curled at the ends, stood in front of the chalkboard.

Just as she was about to start talking, a girl with light brown hair and heavily tanned skin walked into the room, corn-rows taking up half of her head.

"Um, hi. My name's Breanna. I just moved here from Florida. Is this Ms. Shep-" she struggled pronouncing the teacher's name.

"Ms. Shepard, and yes. Why don't you take a seat over here." She gestured towards Leslie and Destiny's table. The girl smiled and walked over taking the seat next to Destiny.

"Hi, I'm Destiny." She held out her hand to the new girl, who shook it. "And this is my best friend, Leslie." She indicated towards the boy across from her.

"Leslie. Isn't that a girl's name?" Brianna asked curiously.

"It's both." He defended. Her mouth formed an O shape. Destiny could tell that the three of them were gonna get along just fine.

Their day went by fast, and soon Destiny, Jackson, and Leslie were walking home. When they arrived, the smell of chocolate chips cookies filled the house.

"Mommy, we're home!" Destiny shouted.

"Hey sweet pea, how was your first day of first grade?" Susan asked, wiping her sticky hands on a towel.

"It was alright." She said, taking a seat at the kitchen table. "There's this new girl and she seems pretty nice." She explained.

"That's great, honey." Susan said as she pulled the cookies out of the oven. As soon as they were cool enough, she gave one to each of the kids.

_**Kinda boring, I know, but it'll get better. Oh, and after this I'm doing one about Lilly and Oliver growing up in Malibu together, and if anyone wants to give me an idea, just tell me. No mushy romance stuff, though. I mean, they're kids!**_

_**Luv Wendy:)(:**_


	2. Engagement

_**Thank you GinerIsInTheHouse13, nazgurl92, aprilrainer15, and BoredHPfan for reviewing chapter one!**_

_**Disclaimer: Y'all know I don't own it.**_

Leslie walked over to Destiny's house a few paces ahead of his parents; fingering the small package deep in the pocket of his tan cargo shorts. The past few weeks had been almost thirty degrees Fahrenheit. Then that day, Christmas Eve to be exact, mother nature decided to shoot the temperature up to fifty, making it feel closer to seventy. So, his dad let him wear summer clothes.

As they approached her front door, Leslie smoothed out his navy blue graphic T-shirt and ran a hand through his spiky blonde hair. He had no idea why he felt nervous, but something felt even more special about today then it just being one to celebrate. He felt like something big was about to happen.

"Hey, thanks for coming!" Destiny greeted happily after letting them into the house.

"Are you kidding?! We wouldn't miss your party for the world!" Leslie exclaimed, giving her a hug.

"Well, that and it's Christmas Eve, time for family and friends." His mom added. The two kids ignored her and into the living room where Jackson was whooping Luann's butt at a car video game.

Mrs. Ryan set their presents under the tall pine next to the fireplace decorated with handmade popcorn strings, lights, and crafted ornaments. Leslie always came over to help the Stewarts with their tree, and then the next day, Destiny went over to his house to help with their tree.

Destiny, who had also been allowed to wear summer clothes, had on blue jeans, a red tank-top, and then a green one over that. A red headband kept her wavy brunette locks out of her face.

Jackson, wanting to feel like a true Tennessee boy, wore a red paisley button-up shirt tucked into blue jeans that were held up by a belt with a large buckle. He also had on a red cowboy hat.

"Hi Rocco!" Leslie greeted the plot hound that had walked over, tail wiggling. He was three years old, and one of the best hunters around. He belonged to Miley's uncle, Tim. Tim was the youngest of Robby Ray's siblings. The dog gave a soft woof in response.

Destiny and Leslie were forced to play with Luann, who was forced to be civil with so many adults around. The kids eagerly awaited presents, which weren't until after dinner, which Destiny almost got sick on. It wasn't so much the food as it was uncle Earl, Aunt Pearl, and Aunt Max.

Upon seeing that his best friend looked sick, he scooped up her small hand in his and squeezed it. He didn't let go through the entire meal.

As they opened presents, Destiny couldn't help but notice that here wasn't one from her best friend. After going around saying thank you to her different family members for their presents, she went up to him.

"What's wrong?" He asked, masking his laughter with a serious look.

"Aside from the clothes I received or the fact that Mamaw and Aunt Dolly can't get along for two seconds?" She more stated then asked as she referred to the two older women arguing on the couch.

"Well, will this cheer you up?" He pulled the small package out of his pocket, and smiled as her face lit up.

"I got this for you." She handed him ad slightly larger box wrapped in green paper and tied shut with a golden bow.

"Thanks." He said, smiling brightly at her. They each proceeded to open their gifts. Jake's grin turned into an open-jaw smile when he saw a leather bracelet with the word 'Ryan' carved into it. He knew this was because she couldn't find one for 'Leslie', since that wasn't a common boy name. But he was still grateful.

* * *

Susan walked over to Dolly, who was standing in the kitchen, silently watching her Goddaughter and her best friend exchange gifts.

"Whatcha doin?" Susan asked curiously, noticing the slight smile on the older women's face.

"Watching love take form." She replied, not removing her eyes from the unfolding scene.

"What do you mean? Destiny and Leslie?" She asked incredulously. "They're seven?! What makes you think…?" She asked, not really surprised so much as dumbfounded. How could she have been so blind?! It was just like in the movies.

They watched as the two children opened their presents, each a look of bewilderment on their faces.

As Dolly watched the proceedings, she left the kitchen and walked over to them.

* * *

Her mouth fell open even farther then his as she gazed upon a ring with a small diamond on top of a circle in the middle. "How did you… wow." She exclaimed, having never received such a wonderful present.

"I used the money I made in that movie. Here." He pulled the ring out of the box and placed it on her left ring finger; the one that his mom had hers on. "The guy at the store said it bends to fit any finger. So, when you get older, it will still fit, same as it does now." He explained, pushing against the metal to form on her finger. He also proceeded in opening the circle to reveal a small cut out picture of them, hugging at a fair. On the other side, it read, 'Des and Les, Friends Forever'.

She smiled up at him, examining her finger. "Ya know what that means, dontcha?" Aunt Dolly asked from behind. Both shook their heads no. "That means you're engaged," When they still looked confused, she added, "to be married.

Leslie walked away from her flabbergasted best friend and gestured for Dolly to bend lower. He whispered, "I can't marry her! She's my best friend!"

"Oh, but that always makes the perfect marriages." She informed. "Now look, we can do a kid marriage."

"What's that?"

"Well, that's when we get family to play the parts of a real marriage. It's not legally binding, just somethin for fun!" Leslie looked at Destiny.

"It could be fun." She looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Ok." She responded, uncrossing her arms. That night, the three of them, made plans.

_**Alright, so the ending's a little off, but I couldn't think of one! Please tell me what you thought!**_

_**Luv Wendy:)(:**_


	3. The Wedding

_**Ok, so the sequel to You're Out of Chances won't be up for a while. Just thought I'd let y'all know that. I have too much on my plate right now. And I have an idea for I Might Even Be a Rockstar, I just need to set it up. Thanx to aprilrainer15, GingerIsInTheHouse13, lilypad456, and BoredHPfan for reviewing the last chapter!**_

_**Disclaimer: Ok, so my birthday's next month, and the thing I want most is the rights to Hannah Montana. I'll let you know if I get them!**_

Both families were really getting into the wedding. Marge (Leslie's mom), Susan, Dolly, and Ruth were helping Destiny pick out her dress, while Jackson, Robby Ray, Bobby Ray, and Zeke took Jake to a tuxedo store. The whole proceedings were quite amusing.

The woman helping him pick out a tux actually thought he was getting married, but kept getting his size wrong. The first one hung off of Jake like a sports jersey. The second one would've fit him except for a tiny problem; he wasn't four!

Luann was forced into being made of honor, and Jackson was priest. This left Leslie without a best man, since he didn't have any cousins young enough and he was an only child; something both Destiny and Jackson envied.

The bracelet Destiny got Leslie for Christmas was gonna be his 'ring'. Luann's 3-year-old brother, Logan, was going to be the ring bearer, and his twin sister, Ally, was to be the flower girl. They were each getting dress clothes, as well as Luann.

Breanna was the only one outside the family that was invited to the ceremony. She thought the whole idea was great.

On Wednesday, February 13, the night before the wedding, the guys and girls did separate things away from eachother. The girls went to a mall in town, whereas the guys went to Chuck-E-Cheeses.

The next day, Destiny and her mom were in Destiny's room doing her hair. "So, ya nervous?" Susan asked her daughter after they got her into the white gown.

"Not really. I mean, it's just Leslie," the seven-year-old replied simply.

"That's true. So, shall we?"

Destiny giggled when her mom held out her arm. She nodded her head. The two of them descended the stairs and met Robby Ray at the bottom. Susan headed out into the backyard and sat next to Ruth.

Robby and Miley linked arms and walked out into the backyard. When they stepped outside, Leslie's eyes lit up like the night of July Fourth. She looked beautiful.

Her father walked her down the isle, and when they reached the end, Leslie took her hand.

Jackson, looking goofy with his fake glasses and one of Robby Ray's plain white T-shirts, read from his hand written book, "Who gives this woman to this man?"

Trying not to laugh, Robby Ray answered, "Her mother and I do." He sat down on the metal fold out chair next to Susan, who had a video camera aimed at the kids.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate the joining of Leslie Jacob Ryan and Destiny Hope Stewart. Leslie, do you take Destiny to be your awfully- I mean LAWfully wedded wife? To love and hold, through sickness and health, as long as you both live?" He asked, reading his home-made script word-for-word. He had spent the majority of last week watching wedding shows, documenting the lines recited by the priest.

"Um, ok," the spiky, blonde haired boy shrugged, not knowing what else to do.

"And do you, Destiny, take Leslie to be your lawfully wedded husband? To love and to hold, through sickness and in health, as long as you both live?"

"Sure."

"If nobody's gonna get mad about this, and no trust me, know boy will," he muttered under his breath, receiving a scowl from his younger sister, "than by the power invested in me, I know pronoun you man and wife." For his closing statement, he turned to Leslie. "You may kiss the bride."

As he had hoped, both their faces fell. He had to use all of his will-power not to burst out laughing. He inwardly thanked his mother for video taping it.

"What?" Destiny asked in disbelief. No one had said anything about a kiss!

Without thinking, Leslie pressed his lips, briefly, onto hers. When he pulled back, her mouth was hanging open in shock. For some reason that his seven-year-old mind couldn't yet fathom, he felt his face heating up. Her cheeks were turning pink, and neither knew why.

The reception was held closer to the Stewart's house, and in it. The families had gone out and bought gifts, and thankfully not ones 'newlyweds' would normally receive. They got a Gamecube, something the two decided to keep at Leslie's house. Another favorite was a tea set, agreeably staying at Destiny's.

The first song they danced to was one that Destiny and Leslie had agreed on; Never Thought I'd Fall In Love With You by none other than Robby Ray. The father's heart swelled with happiness.

Then it was time for the father daughter dance. Again, Destiny chose one by her dad. It was a little newer than the previous one. The song was called In the Heart of a Woman.

The kids' favorite part of the evening, no doubt, was the cake. Leslie and Miley got the biggest pieces; they made sure that was how they cut it.

Breanna ended up catching Destiny's bouquet, and was really excited. If only she knew what it meant.

At around nine o' clock, the bride and groom were passed out side-by-side in a chair on the back porch. Seeing as it was their wedding night, Martha Ryan decided to let her baby boy spend the night at the Stewart's.

Leslie woke just as Destiny was being lifted from her spot by his side. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, and noticed his friend doing the same.

"I can walk, daddy," she mumbled. He set her down, and together the two went inside and climbed the stairs to her room.

They each took turns in the bathroom changing into their pajamas. When Leslie walked out, he saw Destiny nodding off on the floor. Without hesitation, he put one arm around her back and one under her knees and picked her up.

He carried her into her room _**(threshold)**_ and laid her down on her bed. He crawled in next to her and together they fell asleep, eagerly awaiting Friday.

The movie Leslie had starred in was set to premiere the following Saturday, and the producer sent him four plane tickets and three guest passes to the movie. He decided that the trip to Malibu would be a great 'honeymoon' place. He was also taking his mom and Destiny's mom. He figured they needed vacations too.

**Ok, so I don't really like Valentine's Day, but I just had to make their wedding then! I mean, it was pretty good timing, and it **_**is**_** the love holiday. I don't know how many times I almost wrote Miley and Jake. Too many to count! Please review! This woulda been up sooner, but I got sick Saturday morning (rip off!) and I was babysitting today.**

**Luv Wendy:)(:**


	4. Sunrise

**Ok, so there's now officially a trailer for this story on YouTube. Go check it out! Thank you GingerIsInTheHouse13, EveryBookHasItsMiracle, BoredHpfan, aprilrainer15, lilypad456, Julx27xluvsxHM, bellechat, and fictiongirl101 for reviewing the last chapter!**

**Disclaimer: So, my birthday's on Monday, and I bet you all know what's #1 on my list: THE RIGHTS TO HANNAH MONTANA! Who knows if I'll get them.**

Clank, clank, clank… Destiny grumbled and turned away from the noise, trying her best to fall back asleep. It was the first day of summer, and she wanted to spend it sleeping in.

However, Leslie, who was sitting on a tree branch, had other plans. Harder he knocked against her bedroom window until finally, her blinds opened to a glaring face. He smiled innocently back at his best friend.

She quietly opened her window. "What are you doing?!" she hissed out at him, praying that no one in her family would wake up.

"I want you to come watch the sunrise with me," he said, looking down and making her feel bad for hurting his feelings. Her face softened.

"Just give a few minutes to get dressed," she answered a bit reluctantly. He grinned from ear to ear, and she smiled a little herself. Slowly and carefully Leslie got down from the tree.

When he reached the bottom, he waited a few minutes for Destiny to come out. The two of them took off running. They reached the back fence, easily climbing over it. They kept on running through the woods until they reached the edge of a small cliff.

They sat down and, with their feet dangling off the edge, watched the sun rise over the pasture below. Destiny smiled up at Leslie, grateful that he'd woken her up for this.

He smiled down at his best friend. At the same time, they returned their gaze to the pink and orange sky.

She rested her head on his shoulder and hugged her knees, the morning chill seeping through her jeans. Leslie looked down at her. He remembered something from the movies, and decided to use it. He yawned and stretched his arms, bringing his right one down to rest on her shoulders.

Confused, the brunette looked up at him. "What're ya doin?" He shrugged in response.

"I dunno," She rolled her eyes.

"You're weird."

It did take the edge off her chills though. They sat like that until the sky was a brilliant light blue. Then the two ran back to Destiny's house for breakfast.

When they walked in, the smell of her dad's pancakes wafted through the air.

"Hey, what were you two up to this mornin? Ida thought that you'd wanna sleep in, seein as it's your first day of summer break," Robby commented from the kitchen, never removing his gaze from the stovetop.

"Well, I wanted to, but he" she jerked her thumb in Leslie's direction, "had other ideas."

"I took her to see the first sunrise of the summer," Leslie explained.

"Well that was real nice of ya Leslie," Robby complimented, wiping his hands on a towel after setting the plate of pancakes down on the table.

The kids sat down, and Jackson and Susan were quick to follow.

After breakfast, the three kids went outside to enjoy their first days of summer vacation.

Jackson spent a lot of time over the summer hanging with some friends from his school, while Leslie, Destiny, and Breanna all played in the woods behind Des and Les's farms.

There was a few weeks stretch just after the Fourth of July where Leslie had to fly back up to California for a minor role in some movie.

Thankfully, this time, Destiny had Breanna. They hung out and played dress up. It was a little weird though, seeing as she had a crush on Jackson.

She'd follow him around, trying to talk with him. Jackson, still in his 'girls have cooties' faze, got creeped out and left the house as much as possible.

As much fun as Breanna was, Destiny couldn't help but miss Leslie. The three weeks he was gone were the longest in her life.

Soon, it was the end of July, and Leslie was back. "Leslie! I missed you!" she shouted, running into his arms like she had almost a year before.

"I missed you too!" he said, hugging hard.

After catching, the two ran through the woods to their secret fort. Not even Breanna knew about it. That's how they spent the rest of their summer.

Each morning, they'd get up at the same time, and get dressed, eat, then leave for the woods. More then once they had to be checked over for ticks. And, more then once, ticks were found.

But the kids didn't care. They were just happy to be together. That's all that mattered.

**Ok, so this was mostly a drabble, but I had to make it at least 1,000 words. I couldn't make it. I promise it'll get more exciting. I just need to get them a little bit older. I have more of an idea for the Lilly and Oliver chapter, since I just watched a movie yesterday that was kinda like them. It's called My Girl. If you wanna watch it, it's in the free movies section of OnDemand.**

**Luv Wendy:)(:**

**Also, if anyone knows a website where you can get clips from Hannah Montana episodes, I'd greatly appreciate it!**


	5. Time

**Alright, so I REALLY need to know where you can download episodes of Hannah Montana. And no, I don't mean iTunes. I mean something FREE! Possibly something that would work with Windows Movie Maker. Please and thank you!**

**Speaking of thank yous, it's time to thank fictiongirl101, iluvlovestories, BoredHpfan, lilypad456, bellechat, MailesHeartsYou, Pouring.My.Heart.Out xJul, EveryBookHasItsMiracle, All-American Dork06, and aprilrainer15 for reviewing the last chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Tralalalala- Oh! Hello there! Nice to see you reading my fanfiction. I'd have you watch my show, but I don't own one. Thank you!**

"Hey Les, what would you think about me becoming a singer?" Destiny asked one day on their walk home from school. Jackson was staying after to play football with some friends, and Breanna was out of town visiting some relatives in Florida. So it was just the two of them kicking up dirt on one of the gravel roads in Franklin Tennessee; located on the outskirts of Nashville.

"I think you'd be great at it," he answered. She smiled at him. He always made her feel good.

"Thanks. But I'd wanna keep my normal life. I mean, even here you sometimes get paparazzi on you," she noted. He nodded in agreement.

"Maybe you could make a secret identity!" he suggested sarcastically.

"Shut up!" She shoved his shoulder. "You know I'm no good at keeping secrets!" she reminded.

"Oh right. Like that time you told your mom what she was getting for Mother's day, the day after your dad bought it!" She glared at him.

"Let's not live in the past, Leslie," she said in a threatening tone. He immediately stopped laughing.

"Kay." They walked on in silence for a while, enjoying the Tennessee sunshine and fresh air.

When they arrived at Destiny's house, they found her parents on the couch watching TV.

Plopping down next to her father, she said, "Hey Daddy, dya think I could become a singer?" He looked down at the hopeful little girl, surprised and happy.

"Well sure. I mean, ya do take after me." She hugged her father and squealed slightly.

"Does my opinion mean nothing to you?!" Leslie asked, pretending to be hurt.

She stuck her tongue out at him.

That afternoon, Les went home, and Susan, Robby, Jackson, and Miley all went to visit Aunt Dolly.

After telling her about Destiny's new dream, she said, "Well I think that's wonderful sweet pea! But ya know, there's a one in a million chance that you'll make it," she warned, not wanting her goddaughter to get her hopes up and then have them crushed.

Robby and Susan gave her a look. "Well then," Destiny started, and Robby sucked in his breath, hoping she wasn't giving up so quickly, "I wanna be that one," she finished confidently. He let out the breath and smiled proudly at his daughter.

Aunt Dolly chuckled. "Well ok then, you're gonna be a singer!" Destiny's eyes lit up and she jumped into her godmother's arms.

At lunch the next day, Destiny's jubilance was starting to weird people out. "Des, calm down!" Leslie hissed at his best friend after yet another group of people walked by and stared.

"I can't help it! Aunt Dolly says I'm gonna be a singer!" she whispered back.

"Why are you whispering that?" he said, still in a hushed tone.

"Cause, I been thinkin. Maybe I should keep my identity secret."

"That's a good idea," Leslie agreed. "Are we gonna tell Breanna?" he asked.

"I dunno if we should. I wanna keep it between family," she explained.

"But I know!" he argued.

"Yeah, but I've known you all my life. And besides, you're my husband. I have to tell you," she pointed out.

"Oh yeah," he remembered looking at his bracelet.

She rolled her eyes. "Sometimes I wonder about you."

----

Destiny, now nine and in third grade, started taking a choir class. She was the youngest there, but the teacher and all the other students agreed that she was the best.

When she told her parents this, they were so proud that they all went out to dinner to celebrate.

However, something bothered her.

"Les, we hardly have any time together," she complained one day as they were walking through the woods.

"I know! But my manager says I should take as many jobs as I can."

"I don't like your manager. He treats me like I'm five years younger then you!"

"I know, but he's the best that there is. At least, that's what my mom says," Leslie explained.

"I just miss spending time with you, that's all." Her tone was sad, and in turn, made Leslie sad.

"Me too. But hey, we're spending time right now!" She smiled at him, and they took off running to their fort.

"Ok, they're gone," she informed him once they had securely locked the door of their tree house. They were pretending that clowns were chasing them, sent by the evil scientist.

"Ya sure?" he whispered hi question, just to be safe.

"Of course I'm sure!" she said, raising her voice at his stupidity. Boys could be so thick!

"Leslie! Destiny!"a voicecalled from down below. It was Breanna.

"Aww great! What SHE want?" Leslie asked. This fort was supposed to be for him and Des, no one else.

"Yeah Bre?" Destiny called down. Breanna looked up.

"Oh, there you are! You're mom's are looking for you guys. Leslie has an audition for a commercial, and you have singing class!" she informed.

The two friends climbed out of the tree and followed Breanna back to the house. So much for spending time together.

**So, again, kinda choppy. But we have yet to reach the climax! And please vote on my poll if you haven't already!**

**Luv Wendy:)(:**


	6. Lovers

**So, this is the inbetween chapter! It's pretty funny at the end. **

A few weeks later, Des and Les had managed to get a day for themselves. They spent it walking through the woods. When they reached their fort, they noticed something. There was a nest right in front of the door. Inside was a single egg. A branch lay, broken, a few feet away.

"Oh, the poor thing!" Destiny exclaimed, gently lifting the blue egg from the collection of sticks and mud. It was still warm.

"Des, the mom could come back!" Leslie hissed, as though the mother bird could actually hear him.

"No, the mother's abandon nests that fall or get touched by humans," she explained, cradling the small egg in her hands. Her head snapped up. "Leslie, we could raise this egg! Like a baby!" He gave her look that said she'd lost it. "We've been married three years and we haven't had a baby!"

"Destiny, human's can't have baby birds," he argued.

"Sure they could! It could be like adoption!"

"Fine, but I am NOT changing the diapers," he proclaimed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Leslie, baby birds don't wear diapers! Now, let's think of names."

The two were so busy coming up with the best bird name (they decided it could be a boy, since there really was no way to tell) that they failed to hear the cracking of a dried up twig and the sound of a camera beeping as it turned off.

--

"Uh, Jackson, Des, Lu, Les, why don't you two kids go off and play?" Susan suggested after Uncle Earl had dropped the F Bomb for the third time. The kids shrugged and ran off.

Jackson ran to the house phone, intent on calling his friends over to play video games. Luann went in the direction of her house. However, once Leslie and Destiny had gone into Destiny's house, she went around to the front, and was pleased to find the window open. She pulled out her video camera and pressed record. After all, Leslie was a rising star, and Luann wasn't a fool. One day, the media would want stuff from his past.

Leslie and Destiny sat down in the living room to watch TV. They still didn't know why they had to leave Uncle Earl's party. But one thing did confuse Destiny.

"Hey Les, what do you think he meant when he said 'make love'?" she asked, air-quoting the two words.

"Maybe it means to make a feeling," Leslie offered, not sure himself.

"What do you mean?"

"Like, and emotion. Make someone feel love," he explained. Destiny's mouth formed an O, and she nodded her head. An idea struck her. She leaned forward and kissed Leslie square on the mouth. She pulled back after two seconds. His eyes were wide with shock.

"Like that?" she asked curiously.

He smiled. "Yeah, something a lot like that."

"Des, do you think we're in love?" he asked her after a short while. She turned to face him.

"Huh?"

"I think I love you," he explained. She gave him a curious look. "Do you love me?"

"Maybe," she replied, smiling at him. He returned it.

"So, could we ever go out?"

"When we're older. Out lives are too crazy for a serious relationship." He nodded with her.

**Aren't kids so funny? Please review! And yes, this chapter may SEEM random, but it's actually very important! If not for this chapter, I'd be lost again! It's also a filler.**

**Luv Wendy! :)(:**


	7. And There's Leslie's Trouble

**Yes, this story lives! I went back and reread the last chapter and this just hit me! (Which is ironic for this chapter) So, uh, I'm still pretty stuck, but I might know what I'm doing. So anyone that has ideas is strongly advised to share them! Oh, and, this is now chapter 7 because I made an in-between chapter. I'd missed some crucial moments in there 9-year-old days, that is extremely important for the sequel! So really, it's chapter 6 you wanna go** **read!**

Destiny Stewart, now age ten, stepped out into the crisp morning fog and sucked in a deep, refreshing breath of the chilling air. It was the middle of her spring break, and she was as relaxed as could be. Well, you'd have to learn to relax if your parents left for vacation without you, and dumped you with your annoying and hygiene impaired older brother at your neighbor's house.

At least she had Leslie. He was always fun. Well, usually. He had his weird moments, but maybe Jackson was starting to rub off on him. Destiny shuddered at the very idea. And the morning chill. It was five in the morning. Yeah, normal kids sleep in on their breaks. But Destiny liked to go watch the sunrise. Usually Leslie went with her, but he'd stayed up late the night before playing video games with Jackson.

Ugh, boys. Slowly and carefully Destiny walked through the woods to the small cliff. There she sat for an hour and a half, just enjoying the nature that surrounded her.

Soon, the sun had risen and she was on her way back to the Ryan's house. When she got there, she noticed the boys on the couch in the living room watching cartoons. She rolled her eyes and poured a bowl of cereal.

Leslie turned his head when he heard the cereal hit the bowl. "There you are! We were worried sick." Jackson's head turned too.

"Yeah, cause it sure looks like it," she responded sarcastically.

She joined them on the couch. "Whatcha watchin?" she sing-songed.

"Scooby Doo. But it's a commercial," Leslie explained, grabbing a piece of her dry cereal.

"Which one?"

"The one with the glowing scuba diver," Jackson answered, now engrossed in the show that had returned to the TV screen.

_This is how it's always gotta be._ Miley happily thought, looking between the two most important boys in her life. _Yep, this is perfect._

Boy, if only she knew how wrong she was…

--

"Destiny, Leslie's here!" Robby shouted up to his eleven year old daughter. It was her first day of middle school, and she had successfully managed to lock herself in the bathroom for over an hour.

"I'll be right down!" she shouted back.

"Yeah, that's what she said thirty minutes ago when he shouted breakfast the first time," Jackson whispered to Leslie. The two boys shared a laugh. Leslie had spent his summer filming a movie, again, and had just got back the night before.

"Be patient. It's her first day of middle school. Things change," Susan uttered in a hushed whisper on her way to the kitchen.

"What kind of… things?" Leslie asked worriedly. He didn't like where this was going.

"Well, guys and girls start seeing each other differently," she explained as if it were obvious. All together, Robby, Jackson, and Leslie's jaws dropped and they asked, "WHAT?!" in perfect unision.

"I got my first boyfriend in sixth grade," she answered, unaware of their scared looks. "I wouldn't be surprised if Destiny got hers."

"Not if I can help it," Robby finalized, Jackson and Leslie eagerly nodding in agreement.

After a few more minutes of awkward silences and conversations about Leslie's movie, Destiny came downstairs. Leslie's eyes nearly popped out of his sockets. Wow.

"Leslie!" she shrieked, running over to her friend and nearly tackling him to the ground as she squeezed the air out of his lungs. He awkwardly hugged back, unable to believe that this was his best friend. She was so… wow!

"Ready to go?" she asked Jackson and the still shocked Leslie. Luckily he had amazing acting skills and was able to recover quickly. Together, the three middle schoolers left the Stewart house.

"So, Les, me and my dad are goin wig shoppin in a few weeks. Wanna come?" Destiny asked casually as Jackson ran ahead to catch up with some friends.

"Wigs? What for?" he asked like she were crazy.

"My soon-to-be alter ego," she answered in an obvious tone.

"Oh right."

"What, did being back in California brainwash you or somethin?"

"No, my limo driver accidentally hit a girl," he explained sheepishly.

"WHAT?!"

"Well, it was his own stupid fault! And by the time he believed me that he'd hit someone, we were too far ahead. So we had to turn around and go back around the whole block. But she's fine. Just a cast."

"Leslie, Leslie, Leslie. And what are you wearing?" she asked after he received a few stares from passersby.

"It's what all the movie stars are wearing," he explained, looking over his new outfit from Aeropostale. He had on a yellow graphic tee with a dark blue zip-up hoodie that said Aero 36-in yellow-on the left shoulder. Over that he had a gray blazer and had the sleeves of both rolled up to his elbows. He had on some light jeans and black sneakers. Destiny actually thought it looked kinda cute. (And not in the 'can I pinch your cheeks?' kinda way.)

Wait, why was she thinking about her best friend that way? That was NOT how she was supposed to be thinking. 'Maybe it's because I haven't seen him in so long' she thought and gave a satisfied nod.

"Well, ya wanna come with us? Breanna's coming too."

"Where?"

"To Wig City, duh! You are so hopeless!" And with that, she grabbed his arm and started dragging him.

When they arrived at school, people were staring at Leslie. Whether it was because of his outfit, his movie, or his name-change in said movie Destiny did not know. All she did know was that it was REALLY annoying. At lunch, some random girls sat with them, in Destiny and Breanna's seats none-the-less!

By the end of the day, some girl had actually worked up the nerve to ask him out. And he'd said YES! This pushed Des over the edge. This girl didn't even know his name! And she knew this because, in second hour, the same girl had come up and asked Des what his name was. Well, his first name.

And what was really weird was that guys kept starting at her. She wanted to tell them to take a picture, but then they'd probably pull out their phones and actually do it!

By the end of her first week, she'd been asked out three times. She'd declined though. What was important to her now was her family, friends, and music. She had no time to worry about a boyfriend.

A few Saturdays later, after going to Wig City and being hassled by some random worker into actually getting awesome disguises, Robby Ray took Breanna and Destiny into an older part of town. Said he had a meeting with a guy and that they'd be done in ten minutes.

Destiny was still peeved about Leslie being a no-show that she slumped onto a stool at the bar and watched the talentless karaoke singers. Her dad was talking to some man in a business suit. She was wearing her disguise, as well as her dad, and she heard her new name (Hannah Montana) mentioned a few times.

Out of nowhere, Leslie appeared in the bar and took up the seat next to her, ordering a diet coke. He gave a hey to her, and then looked over at Breanna.

"What're you doin here? I thought you were with Des?" he asked. The blonde in between them coughed and he turned, doing a double-take when he saw her face.

"Des?!" he whispered in shock.

"Where've you been?" she huffed, barely turning her eyes to him.

"I was with Natasha," he answered, unaffected by her harshness.

"Oh."

"Yeah, she actually flaked after a half hour."

"So that's why you're here? Cause she left?" She failed to hide the hurt in her tone.

He looked over, puzzled by how this affected her. She had Breanna.

"Why don't you just dump her?"

"I dunno. I've never had to before," he explained pitifully.

Suddenly, the music stopped-much to a relief on Destiny's ears- and the 'singer' took a seat.

"Alright, who's next? How bout you?" the announcer pointed to Breanna, who shied away.

"Actually, I don't sing," she responded. Noticing his disbelieving look, Destiny interfered.

"But I do."

"Well then come on up here lil lady." Destiny walked up to the stage, not failing to notice her dad's apprehensive look.

"What's your name sweetie?"

She almost said Destiny, but stopped herself, remembering what she had on. "Hannah."

"Well, Hannah, what dya wanna sing?" he asked, adjusting his ten gallon hat. She leaned up and whispered the name of the song in his ear. He smiled at her. "I think we can do that.

And then the guitar started an old Dixie Chick's song.. She started to sing.

_Shoulda been different,_

_But it wasn't different was it?_

_Same old story, Dear John, and so long_

_It shoulda fit like a glove_

_It shoulda fit like a ring_

_Like a diamond ring_

_Token of true love_

"Is that her, Robby?" Marcus Thompson, CEO of Hollywood Records, asked after Hannah had started to sing.

"Sure is," Robby Ray answered proudly. He smiled up at his daughter, who easily returned it.

_Should've all worked out,_

_But it didn't_

_She should be here now,_

_But she isn't _

At this part, she looked over at Leslie, who was watching her intently. He caught her gaze and his eyes held confusion.

_There's your trouble, there's your trouble_

_You keep seein double with the wrong one_

_You can't see I love, _

_You can't see she doesn't_

_But ya just keep holdin on_

_There's your trouble_

Marcus looked very impressed, and this made Robby even more proud. What was better was that Susan had come into the bar and had been videotaping it the whole time.

_So now you're thinkin bout, _

_All you're missin, How_

_deep you're sinkin_

_Round and round and draggin down_

_Why don't ya cash in your chips_

_Why don't you call it a loss_

_Not such a big loss_

_Chalk it up for better luck_

_Could've been true love, _

_But it wasn't_

_It should all add up,_

_But it doesn't_

She tried her best not to look into his soft green eyes, but that was proving to be extremely difficult. After all, she was basically singing this to him. In the last couple of weeks she'd decided that these weird feelings for him weren't just friendly anymore. But he didn't need to know that.

_There's your trouble, there's your trouble_

_You keep seein double with the wrong one_

_You can't see I love, _

_You can't see she doesn't_

_But ya just keep holdin on_

_There's your trouble_

_Should've all worked out,_

_But it didn't_

_She should be here now,_

_But she isn't_

_There's your trouble, there's your trouble_

_You keep seein double with the wrong one_

_You can't see I love, _

_You can't see she doesn't_

_But ya just keep holdin on_

_There's your trouble_

_There's your trouble_

_There's your trouble_

_There's your trouble_

_There's your trouble_

_There's your trouble_

After she finished, the whole bar started applauding (they'd been clapping along the whole time). Before her friends or mom could comment, her dad walked over with the owner of the bar. He wanted her to sing there as a regular on Saturday's. That is, until she got a record deal.

She happily agreed.

**Ok, so I didn't even plan it to be a Dixie Chick's song (they're used a lot on the show). I was actually listening to Taylor Swift songs on YouTube when I stumbled across like, four songs that she sang when she was 11. So go watch this one, called There's You Trouble, on YouTube by Taylor Swift. That's pretty much how Destiny sounded in this chapter. On one of the versions, there's a download link!**

**Luv Wendy! :)(:**


	8. Hopelessly Devoted to Him, Secretly

Destiny sniffled as she stared out into the abyss

**Alright, so, I just made a playlist for this on my iPod, which may help inspire me to update. Anywho, yeah. Updates are slow, I just started high school. Busy, busy me. **

Destiny sniffled as she stared out into the abyss. She wiped her nose clean of the drip that had started to fall with her glove. It was the middle of January, and any sane girl would be inside watching TV. But not Destiny.

A car zoomed by and she glared hatefully at it. Why did they need cars? They cost so much money, and they can kill people very easily. Horses don't need expensive gas, they don't need to be built in a factory, and they have a better chance at stopping for another horse along the road than a car does of stopping for another car.

The funeral had been earlier that day. Everyone was at her house, inside. Her dad had made a big buffet lunch for all their friends and families. But Destiny didn't want to eat. She just wanted to sit there and pretend none of it had happened.

Her new cell phone started going off. She rolled her eyes at the ringtone, but answered anyway.

"Des, I just got your message! Oh my God, how did this happen?!" he asked sympathetically.

"I left you the message a week ago," she pointed out, her voice soft and broken.

"I've just been really- God, what happened?" he asked again.

"We were in the car, me and mom, just getting back from shopping, when a stupid drunk drove right into her door. Nothing really happened to me." Silent tears began rolling down her face at the memory. Her mom had died on their way to the hospital from too much blood loss.

"Wow, I'm gonna catch the first plane back there, alright? When's the funeral?"

"This morning," she answered, trying not to sound too upset. He was following his dreams, but he was becoming an obnoxious jerk about it.

"Oh, um, man I feel terrible! Ok, I'm gonna get my mom to call the airport. I'll be there as soon as I can," he tried assuring, but she knew it was a lost cause.

The following weekend, she was at the bar again. Singing was her one sanctuary, and her mother always believed in her. She wanted to do it. She tried not to care that Leslie still wasn't there. He hadn't even called again.

_Guess mine is not the first_

_Heart broken_

_My eyes are not the first _

_To Cry_

_I'm not the first to know_

_There's just no getting over you_

Maybe it was better he wasn't there. Then he wouldn't find out that she'd _had_ feelings for him.

_I know I'm just a fool_

_Who's willin _

_To sit around_

_And wait_

_For you_

_But baby_

_Can't ya see_

_There's nothing else for me_

_To do_

_I'm hopelessly devoted to you_

Luann was in the front row, filming the whole thing. Susan had filmed everyone, and Luann had decided she'd continue to. She and Des had actually gotten a little bit closer over the course of the two weeks.

Destiny finished up her song, and the whole audience (which was a lot of people) applauded. She smiled for them, but it was fake. Robby Ray praised her as they headed out for the car.

--

"You HIT her?!" Destiny shouted after Leslie returned from California. He winced.

"hey, I told the driver to go back and check! Besides, she'll be fine. The paramedics said so!" he assured, hoping to calm his best friend. He didn't.

"I can't believe you're taking this so lightly!"

"I wasn't even the one that hit her! Besides, the driver got fired!"

"Do you HEAR yourself?!" she demanded.

"Look, I'm sorry. What do you want me to do?! I went to see her before I left for the airport, but she was asleep! So I left her an apology card and some balloons and a bear!"

"You're right, it's in the past. And you couldn't do anything about it. I just can't believe that your limo actually hit her! It's just unthinkable."

"I know! I was there!" They both sighed, taking a seat on the Stewart's couch. After a while, he asked, "So, you wanna come with me to shoot a scene for my new movie?"

He'd gotten the lead in a local production, that had happened to have two separate week's worth of filming in LA. But the rest of it would be done in Nashville. This had been, of course, his second trip out there for the movie.

"Sure. Can Bre come?"

"Why not?" He shrugged.

--

_An hour later_

--

"Remind me why I decided to come again!" Destiny asked her friend, looking at her with something of despair.

"Because you had nothing better to do," Breanna offered.

"Right."

They had just finished a scene to the movie that Destiny had completely forgotten was about a VERY popular sixth grade boy trying to decide who he should take to his school dance, and it even included a remade version of Girl Crazy by LMNT.

The two girls called Destiny's parents with a phone on the set. It was, after all, a Saturday. She was performing at Lucky's (the bar) and liked to get there an hour or two early. Plus, she needed to be in disguise, which took a great deal of time.

--

"Hey, she hasn't started yet, has she?!" Leslie whispered to Breanna as he took up the available stool next to her. Filming had just finished for the day, and he'd raced across town to make it to his best friend's concert.

"Um, no." 'Uh-oh!' She tried to get Destiny's attention, but the lights dimmed and the music began playing. And then, their best friend began singing.

When the song was over, she looked out at her cheering audience and froze. Next to Breanna sat a confused Leslie Jacob Ryan.

"Once again, that was Hannah Montana singing 'Hopelessly Devoted to You'." More cheers.

"Hey Des, you were great," Leslie whispered.

"Thanks. What're ya doin here?" she asked nervously.

"Watching my best friend sing, of course!"

'Yup, still as clueless as ever,' Destiny decided in her head as Leslie began talking, once again, about something clever he'd said on set after they left. It was a habit he seemed to be developing, and Destiny rolled her eyes.

**So, don't hate me for what's about to come in the next chapter. It HAS to happen, and you'll find out why, in due time. Please review, and also visit my profile to vote in my poll. You have until the 17****th****! So vote now!**

**Luv Wendy! :)(:**


	9. There She Goes

**Alright, so this is the last chapter before the epilogue. I know! So exciting!**

"URGH!" she angrily proclaimed after clicking her new cell phone off. She and Leslie had just gotten into another fight. It seems like that's all they did these days.

First it was because he left for a movie, and when she called angrily two days later after just finding out, his excuse was that 'Jackie was supposed to call and tell you' 'because he was too big and important to do it himself', was her afterthought.

Next, he let her know via text message that he'd be moving at the end of summer out to California to star in a TV show.

Then, he missed her last performance at Lucky's because he was busy with fans in town. Yes, it really happened that way.

And lastly, he said he wouldn't be able to make it to her performance at the opening of the 6th season of Nashville SuperStar (which her dad had hosted back in his own performing days). He was up in LA with his parents looking at houses. 'Probably need to find one that can store his newly inflated ego!' she inwardly griped.

It wasn't hard for her to select a song. As soon as she found out that she got the gig, the choice song popped into her head. It was something by her Aunt Dolly, and it was just too perfect for her current situation.

The weeks of that summer passed by way too quickly for Destiny and Breanna. She went to every one of 'Hannah's' rehearsals. Things just wouldn't be the same after that summer. Cause getting accepted to perform at the NSS wasn't the biggest thing of Destiny's summer. Someone else had finally accepted her too. Someone bigger than the search for the next great country singer.

Before they knew it, it was the night of the opening.

"I'm gonna miss you!" Breanna exclaimed, wrapping Destiny up in a death grip.

"Breanna, I need this air to sing!" Destiny choked out, but they both knew she wasn't serious.

When the brunette finally did pull away, there were some tears in her eyes.

"Do you think he's gonna show?" she asked sadly.

"I doubt it," Destiny replied bitterly; staring out at the audience with one last look of hope. The lights began to dim, and Destiny took one last deep breath before she was introduced.

"And now, to open the competition is a young girl following her dreams. Daughter of the winner of our very first season, Robby Ray, please give it up for the beautiful and talented Hannah Montana!"

She came out blushing, not expecting anything like that. There was a pretty big applause, and she recognized a few regulars from Lucky's, and she waved out at them. They whistled, causing a slight case of giggles to come over her. Any nerves she'd had were long gone.

One last look out at the crowd showed Breanna sitting next to her dad. Then something in the back caught her attention. The door had opened, and Leslie stood against the back wall, waving and smiling timidly. Her face hardened.

_Here you come again  
Just when I've begun _

_To get myself together  
You waltz right through the door  
Just like you done before  
And wrap my heart _

_Round your little finger_

Leslie held up his hand, examining his fingers closely. They were a bit on the small side, he realized. From up on the stage, Destiny noticed his preoccupation and glared, her currently blonde head shaking disappointedly.

_Here you come again  
Just when I'm about _

_To make it work without you  
You look into my eyes  
And light those dreamy eyes  
And pretty soon I'm wonderin'  
How I came to doubt you_

He smirked, clearly missing the whole point of the song. Or it was his idea of being funny. Or he really just didn't care. Destiny blinked back her tears. This was her first professional concert, and she wasn't about to start crying in the middle of it.

_All you gotta do  
Is smile that smile  
And there go all my defenses  
Just leave it up to you  
And in a little while  
You're messin' up my mind  
And fillin' up my senses_

Here you come again  
Lookin' better than a body  
Has a right to

Once again, a smirk crept up onto his face. Destiny forced her eyes away from him, and instead focused on her transfixed audience.

_And shakin' me up so  
That all I really know  
Is here you come again_

All you gotta do  
Is smile that smile  
And there go all my defenses  
Just leave it up to you  
And in a little while  
You're messin' up my mind  
And fillin' up my senses

Here you come again  
Lookin' better than a body  
Has a right to  
And shakin' me up so  
That all I really know  
Is here you come again  
Here I go

His head snapped up at those lines. His jade eyes locked on to her sorrow-filled ones, looking worried. She couldn't possibly mean that! It was just part of her song, he assured himself. However, he began to question that when she looked down at her cowboy boots sadly.

_A__nd here you come again  
And here I go, uh oh_

_And here I go_

_And here you come again_

_And here I go_

She stretched out the ending, but it eventually had to stop. The crowd roared with applause. She was even better live than she was on YouTube!

She smiled sadly out at her audience, setting the microphone back on the stand and waving. She walked off the stage after sending one last, disappointed look in Leslie's direction.

--

He immediately made a bee line for the backstage, but was stopped by an extremely large man in a very tight T-shirt. "Can I see your pass?"

"Uh, I'm Jake Ryan. I don't need a pass," he explained with attitude, annoyed at this roadblock of a man. However, the guard pushed Leslie back.

"No pass, no entrance."

The actor's mouth hung open. He shook his head before turning back and running out the front. Thankfully she was the opening act, and not the closing or he'd have had to elbow his way through a pack of large people.

Once outside, he looked around trying to decide which direction would be quicker. He chose to take a right, and zipped off.

He made it around back just in time to see a cab pulling away with four people inside. A driver, obviously, and three passengers. He stared on in disbelief. She really left! Oh, he was gonna give her an earful once he got home!

When he arrived at his house a half an hour later, he noticed something in the Stewart's front yard. Curiously, he walked over to it, deciding that his packing could wait. What he saw astounded him.

There was a sign in the front yard, a sticker with the word 'Sold' printed in large, red letters was pasted across it. The lights were off, and the house looked empty. His jaw went slack, and the rest of him went numb. When she said go, she wasn't kidding. She'd really left! For good!

Rage seared through his body. How could she not tell him?! They were supposed to be best friends! Sure, he'd been slipping up, but he did NOT deserve this! He looked at the old worn out bracelet on his wrist, finally ripping it off and throwing it in the dirt. Just like she'd done with his heart.

**Yes, this chapter was intended to be drama-y. And I know, it just jumped right into this, but you'll see why in the sequel! I thought of an excuse for the rushed chapters! One that makes sense too! So please review! I want to have the epilogue up tomorrow before I leave for a party. Otherwise it has to wait until Sunday! And for those of you not reading the Loliver one, the sequel might be a bit confusing. Just letting yo****u know**

**Luv Wendy! :)(:**


	10. Epilogue: OneWay Emptiness

**Ok so here's the epilogue. I'm posting it on both stories, since I know not everyone reads both. And to darthfiredragon, is this worth the wait?!**

"Oh my God! Did you hear, Hannah Montana's opening for Jesse McCartney this weekend!" Oliver shouted giddily at the lunch table one day. Miley's eyes went wide.

"Cool. Too bad I'll be busy with… family night? Yeah." She thought up randomly. Her friends stared at her for a moment, but finally shrugged off her strange behavior.

"So Oliver, do you wanna go with me?" Lilly asked a little awkwardly. Confusion ran through his eyes, and Lilly added, "As friends!"

"Oh, right! Yeah, sure. Wait, you got tickets?!" Oliver asked, excited.

"Yeah. Mom new how much I love Jesse and Hannah!"

"Sweet!" The two shared a high five, forgetting about their still nervous friend.

--

Miley was excited. It would be the largest audience she'd ever performed in front of. The day of the concert, she arrived over an hour early, that's how excited she was.

She was actually able to do one more sound check than originally planned, which she enjoyed. However, while getting her wig was being done by a special stylist they'd hired, and her makeup by another loyal employee, a terrible thought struck Miley. One that sent shivers down her spine, and sent her makeup artist into a never ending lecture about keeping still. She could only wish it wouldn't happen.

--

So, the leprechauns appeared not to like her very much, considering about ten minutes before she needed to be performing, it happened.

"How could you leave without saying goodbye?!" he shouted, storming over to her. Her eyes went wide for a moment before her nerve returned to her.

She hadn't seen him in a few months, and vice versa. She hadn't spoken to him since she left, and again, vice versa. She had her cell phone number changed when they moved, and also her name for that reason only; she didn't want him to find her real self.

At least if he only saw her as Hannah, he wouldn't be able to make a scene.

"The same way you did!" she shouted back, hurt and anguish in her once sparkly blue orbs.

"At least _I_ let you know ahead of time!" he spit back with fire burning in his eyes.

"Yeah, through a TEXT MESSAGE! Sent by your MANAGER!" she reiterated, trying her best not to gain attention, but failing miserably.

"So?!" he asked, confused.

"So?! That's all you can say?!" Silence "That's it," she began in a threatening tone. He took a step back it was that intense. "Unless you wanna end up on the next cover of Us Weekly for being the youngest actor to get kicked out of a concert, I suggest you leave."

"You wouldn't," he dared.

"Roxy!" she shouted her bodyguard's name. When the short, scary woman appeared at her side, Jake got the message.

"Fine I'll go!" he relented, backing up.

"Bye, _Jake_."

"Bye _Hannah_."

She groaned, tears springing to her eyes. She immediately blinked them back, afraid her makeup would run. She slapped a fake grin on her face as she was announced, and the music for One Way Ticket (originally by LeAnn Rimes). Ironically, she'd chosen it for Leslie.

And as she sang, she decided that he wasn't worth it anymore. Leslie Ryan had been completely replaced by big-shot actor, Jake Ryan. And Miley decided Jake was here to say. So she put all the force in her voice for her song.

_How could I have ever believed  
That love had to be so blind  
When freedom was waiting, down at the station  
All I had to do was make up my mind_

And buy a one-way ticket on a west bound train  
See how far I can go  
Cause I'm gonna go out dancing in the pouring rain  
And talk to someone I don't know  
I will face the world around me  
Knowing that I'm strong enough to let you go  
And I will fall in love again  
Because I can

She smiled defiantly out at her audience, who were all cheering like mad. She smiled specially at Lilly and Oliver who were in the fifth row. But the one person she failed to notice hung his head in shame and remorse. For as she sang her career-starting song, Leslie Ryan finally realized his loss. But for him, he felt it was too late to get it back. He walked out the door, a new feeling of emptiness inside him that in due time, he'd learn to get used to. But for now, he felt like he could crawl in a whole and die.

**So, there's a sequel, with a better plot line than this. But for a while, that's all you're getting! Do, please review!**

**Luv Wendy! :)(:**


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